The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has unveiled a newly built Geo-Spatial Centre, which will help in processing data for information gathering, research and forecasting for disaster management.
NEMA
Geo-Spatial Centre, formerly known as Geographic Information System (GIS), is a
technology that is being used in all phases of disaster management such as
preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery and rehabilitation.
Speaking at
the commissioning of the centre in Abuja, the secretary to the government of
the federation, Senator George Akume, said the world is presently confronted by
increasing global upsurge in magnitude and complexity of various disasters that
have affected many countries as evidenced in draughts, floods, desertification,
famine and even communal crises arising from competition over land use and
ownership.
The centre
will support in disaster forecasting, data mapping and information management
system.
Also
speaking, the director-general of NEMA, Mustpha Ahmed, said it is worthy of
note that the NEMA Geo-spatial Centre was in a very dysfunctional condition
when he assumed office as chief executive of the agency.
He said realizing
the importance of this centre, the management brainstormed on an urgent
approach to resuscitate the centre to international standard.
Ahmed noted
that the success recorded so far portrays evidence of support from the
president, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Tinubu, the collective
effort of the Federal Executive Council and the management of NEMA.
The centre
formerly referred to as NEMA GIS Laboratory was established by the Agency in
2006 to enhance its humanitarian operation following the paradigm shift from
relief intervention to disaster risk management.
Some of the
functions of the unit include; to process and use space satellite technology
data for information gathering, research and forecasting for disaster
management; to carry out field survey, mapping and evaluation of various
disasters and its aftermath; and to carry out damage, risk vulnerability
analysis and prediction for both the agency and public consumption among
others.